Chapter 1
Opening Greeting
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This epistle opens with Paul identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus appointed to that role of apostle by God, a fact that he will defend later in this epistle. He and Timothy[1] are sending this epistle to the church of God in Corinth and it is to be shared with all the saints of Achaia (southern peninsula). Paul offers his usual two-part greeting, grace to them and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God of Comfort
Paul uses the Greek verb and noun relating to and describing comfort ten times in the next five verses. The word has several applications including to exhort, encourage, to aid, to help, etc.
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Paul praises God, the Father of Jesus, and the Father of mercies (Greek ‘oiktirmōn’, to have compassion for someone suffering), the God of all comfort. As He comforts us in all our affliction (Greek ‘thlipsei’, to crush, compress, used as a metonym for evils that cause affliction, distress, calamity, often translated as ‘tribulation’), the New Living Translation renders this verse: “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT) This is a key verse for Christians everywhere. God comforts believers through our time of distress so that we can comfort others that may be experiencing the same situation. This application of compassion can lead to a discussion of the gospel and since your testimony would be irrefutable (can’t argue about what God did in your life) the person receiving the comfort is likely to listen.
Christianity is just a theory to many people. It is merely a profession; it is like a garment to be put on for special occasions and then worn lightly. It is a stagnant ritual and an empty vocabulary. My friend, may I say to you that the proof of Christianity is how it walks in shoe leather. It wasn’t just a theory to the apostle Paul.[2]
1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
Jesus suffered tremendously before and during His crucifixion as He carried the weight of mankind’s sin, but that was in the past, what is Paul referring to when he writes that we share in Christ’s sufferings? Peter offers this explanation: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” (1 Peter 4:12-16, ESV) Paul says we will share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, through persecution and in spiritual warfare (see Ephesians 6:10-20). But as those sufferings increase in abundance so will Jesus’ comfort increase.
1:6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Paul makes a curious statement that when they are afflicted (and Paul was no stranger to affliction) it is for our comfort and salvation. As they experience more pain and suffering for proclaiming the gospel message, the more effective their ministries become, the greater number of people will come to Jesus and in turn be comforted themselves. Likewise, they will be comforted when they endure the same sufferings Paul and his fellow workers had to endure. Paul notes that since they have shared in their suffering that they will also share in their comfort.
1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
Paul does not specify what he experienced in Asia (a Roman province) but we do know he spent a lot of time in that region, as this ‘affliction’ could be the “wild beasts” in Ephesus he mentioned in his first epistle (see 1 Corinthians 15:32), the riot in Ephesus (see Acts 19:23-41), or any number of unrecorded events. But whatever it was, it must have been very serious as he describes it as something that pushed him to a point in his affliction that he was willing to surrender his life. Paul admits that it was intended to make him more reliant on God (who can raise the dead) and not of themselves. God delivered them at that time and they have set their hope on Him doing it again. Paul asks for their prayers so that they will be blessed through the prayers of many. Even though Paul never explains what happened in Asia, he communicates his need for ongoing prayer.
Considerations
Comfort versus Comfortable
The comfort Paul is writing about here in this chapter refers to helping, consoling, or just being present with someone during their time of need, typically after hearing of sad news, learning of an affliction, being injured, etc. Compassion flowing from one person to another. The word does not imply being comfortable (although it could be a component of giving comfort to another). In our relationship with Jesus He provides comfort for us (often through another person), but we are not to be comfortable with a non-growing relationship in Him, He will give us new challenges and with the Holy Spirit, we will grow closer to Jesus as a result.
Reliance on God
Being reliant on God at a time you think you are going to die undoubtedly would be a difficult lesson. Paul seemingly was unwilling to offer details but the truth of the matter. Did you notice Paul mentioning, “God who raises the dead?” A true statement but why say it there? He is pointing out that if God has something that you are to do, even death will not impede! As believers we need to keep our eyes on Jesus, anything that takes our eyes off Him is likely evil.
In Defense
1:12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— 14 just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.
Paul begins to defend himself, even though he does not state what he is being accused of, we can see in his response that he is defending his reliability and possibly his loyalty to the people of this church. He starts by telling them that he has a clear conscience before them and God. Many believe that the church attracted so many charlatans that they began to become wary of them and possibly put Paul in the same category. Undoubtedly fueled by his promise to visit them in his first epistle but did not show up, made them cynical of his writing (see 1 Corinthians 16:5). And due to their cynicism, Paul had to explain that he had no “hidden agenda,” that what he wrote was indeed what they plainly read, that they could trust that there were no hidden meanings. Paul notes that at one time they at least partially understood him and accepted the gospel message, that later during their judgment (see 2 Corinthians 5:10), they will be able to boast about each other.
1:15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea.
Because he was loyal to them and that his first visit was a mutual blessing, he desired to come to them first and planned to visit them on the way to Macedonia and then on to Judea (see 1 Corinthians 16:5-6). But was unable to fulfill his promise to them (he will explain why at the end of the chapter, beginning at verse 23).
1:17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.
Paul essentially asks, “Do you think I wasn’t thinking when I made those promises in my first epistle?” “Do I make plans according to human standards saying ‘yes’ and ’no’ simultaneously?” Paul proclaims that as surely as God is faithful, their word does not waver.
1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
Paul points out that the gospel message they taught them is true. For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, He is always ‘Yes’, as He always does what He says and promises. Paul adds that because the message of salvation is true through Jesus, that we can say ‘Amen’ (Greek ‘amēn’, transliterated from the Hebrew ‘āmēn’ meaning truly, a certainty) to God for His glory. As it was God who enabled them and anointed (commissioned) them to do this task who also put His seal on them and gave them the Holy Spirit in their hearts as a guarantee that He would not leave them.
In his epistle to the church in Ephesus, Paul referenced the promise of salvation being sealed by the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). His audience would have understood as seals have been used for thousands of years. Most seals were applied by melting wax and then placing a signet-like object onto the cooling wax with a unique design. The signet’s design would typically represent someone like a king or some other position of authority, which would include a substantial penalty if the seal were ever broken prematurely or by the wrong person. When a seal was used on a package, pouch, or envelope it would provide some level of security for the sender while the recipient could see it was authentic, granting the person the appropriate authority. A seal could also be placed on something demonstrating ownership such a brand on cattle. In Esther 8:8-12 the seal was used to show authority, in 1 Kings 21:6-16 it was for authenticity, in Jeremiah 32:6-12 the seal was to demonstrate ownership, in Daniel 6:17 it is was to assure security, and in Matthew 27:63-66 it was also used for security. Paul’s use of the word here tells us, and the believers at this church, that there should be no doubt that Paul is (and always has been) telling the truth, that he, and those with him, can be trusted.
23 But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
Paul is taking a serious oath when he said “I call on God to witness against me.” He now reveals why he did not go to Corinth when he said he would in his previous epistle. He wanted them to know that out of compassion for them, that he would spare them from any emotional upheaval until they were able to address all of the issues brought to their attention in that last epistle. As he does not want to lord over their faith, but instead work with them leading to joy and their ability to stand firm in their faith.
Paul continues his explanation as to why he did not visit in the next chapter.
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[1] See Acts 16:1; 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Romans 16:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10; 2 Corinthians 1:19; Philippians 1:1; 2:19; Colossians 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 3:2, 6; 2 Thessalonians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 18; 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:2; Philemon 1:1; Hebrews 13:23.
[2] McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (2 Corinthians) (electronic ed., Vol. 45, p. 16). Thomas Nelson.